


At the End of the Night

by duchessduchie



Category: The Royals (TV 2015)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, Missing Scene, Post-Episode: s4e06 My News Shall Be The Fruit To That Great Feast;, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-23
Updated: 2018-04-23
Packaged: 2019-04-26 20:47:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14410254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/duchessduchie/pseuds/duchessduchie
Summary: Robert seeks out the one person he wanted to see in his room. Set post episode 4x06.





	At the End of the Night

Robert looked at his phone for the third time tonight, debating on whether or not to call Willow. Cassandra’s “observations” alarmed him too much, after the night he had, especially the one about Willow. Cassandra is a talented manipulator. Robert knew what she was doing and that he should not let her comments get to him. However, Robert couldn’t stop thinking about what she said about Willow, which in turn irritated him even more that it upset him to this extent. Robert needed to clear his head, which led him Willow’s door trying to come up with an excuse to see his fiancee at, he looked at his watch, 1:24 a.m.

He was unsure of the appropriate protocol in this situation. Did he give Willow a call? A text? Or just knock on her door? Robert decided to knock. He heard some shuffling, and then the door slowly opened to a surprised Willow.

“Robert! Is everything ok?” Robert couldn’t help but smile when he saw Willow. She was wearing a t-shirt that said ‘savage.’ The idea that she was savage while wearing that, shorts and unicorn slippers made him smile. Willow motioned him into her flat.

“Yes, I just-” he tried to come up with an excuse but decided to go with the truth, “I just needed to see you.” She smiled at him, and Robert added, “although that was before a learned that you were ‘savage.’” He couldn’t help teasing her.

She looked down at her shirt and up at him. A big smile appeared on her face, and she leaned up and kissed him. “Would you like some hot cocoa?”

He followed her through the entrance hallway to the sitting area which opened up to the kitchen and dining area. Robert was curious to see her flat. It reflected her personality well; it was classic with a modern twist. She must have been about to make hot cocoa before he arrived there was a hot cocoa mix on the counter next to a bottle of milk. “I have tea if you would prefer it.”

Robert couldn’t remember the last time he had hot cocoa. Maybe when he was a child? “Hot cocoa would be lovely.” 

“Will you grab two cups? They are in the cupboard to your left.” He opened the cupboard and pulled out two large cups and handed them to her. She grabbed them from him and poured milk in both before popping them in the microwave for a minute and carefully measuring the cocoa mix. She grabbed herself a spoon and handed one to Robert. He watched her stir the mix in, mirroring her behavior. It was a very domestic thing to do, making hot cocoa together. They wouldn’t have this at the Palace. He grabbed his cup and went to drink the hot cocoa when “Wait!” Robert paused.

“How can you have hot cocoa without whip cream? It is criminal!”

He raised an eyebrow. “Is it now?”

“It should be. I know a guy who can make it so. ” She teased. Robert couldn’t help but smile back at her. Willow grabbed the cup back from him and placed it on the counter. She opened the fridge and pulled out spray whipped cream. Willow added the whipped cream and handed the cup back to him. She looked at him expectantly as he took a sip. “How is it?” Robert took a sip. “Delicious.”

“Good.” 

“I wasn’t sure if you would be up. I thought you might be asleep. You left the Palace before I had a chance to say goodnight.” All Robert wanted to do after dealing with Jasper’s father, and his own difficult sister was to see Willow because for some reason Willow made his difficult days a bit easier. Instead of finding her in his rooms, he found Cassandra.

“I’m sorry I left. I would have stayed if I had known you wanted me to.” She reached out and put a hand on his arm. He could see the sincerity reflecting in her eyes. She must have seen something reflected in his face.

“Did something happen after I left?” Robert was surprised Willow could tell something was wrong. His mask must have slipped. He brushed her comment off with a half-truth.

“I decided to make Jasper a knight.”

“That is so kind of you.” Robert let himself bask her praise. “It is the least I can do after he saved my life.” If he was forced to knight his sister’s flavor-of-the-moment, he was going to get the credit for the idea. “The ceremony will take place soon. I thought it would be perfect for us to make our first appearance together.”

“Are you asking me to be your date?”

“Maybe.” She laughed at him quoting her answer to his proposal. “You are never going to let me live my ‘maybe’ down, are you?”

“Not for the rest of our lives.” Robert was surprised at how easy those words came out of his mouth. He leaned down to kiss her pulling her close.

Willow told him that her greatest fear that their relationship wouldn’t be real. Thinking back to his reaction to Cassandra’s words, he realized that his greatest fear is that their relationship is real. Too real. It was a startling realization. It was not part of his plan. Robert needed to put some distance between them. He broke the kiss. “What were you doing before?”

“Before?” Willow was in a bit of a daze.

“Before I arrived.”

“Oh. I was watching a movie.”

“What film?” Willow started to blush. “It isn’t important.” Robert’s curiosity peeked at Willow’s avoidance of the question.

“Are you embarrassed about what you were watching?” Willow was avoiding looking him in the eyes. “As your fiancee, I think I have right to know about my fiancee’s movie taste. How bad can it be?” There was a bit of pause before he heard Willow say something in a quiet voice. For a moment he thought he heard her say Cinderella. “What was that?”

“Cinderella” Robert almost burst out laughing. “Not the cartoon one, but the live action one,” Willow added. Willow blush was even more noticeable before defending her movie selection. “It is a very relatable movie.” It was then that Robert realized that Willow came home to watch a movie that reminded her of her own life.

“Do you want to watch it?” Robert could think of numerous things he rather do with his fiancee. All of them involved less clothing and not watching a fairytale, but Willow seemed excited to watch it. “Why not.”

She led him over to the couch. He sat down, and Willow joined him. Robert was surprised when she cuddled into him. Prior to their engagement, there was little physical contact between Willow and him. Their behavior towards each other was entirely above board. Slowly the lines of appropriate decorum were getting blurred. There was no distance between them now on the couch. The engagement ring was clear to see across his chest. He looked down at her. This was going to be his life.

Robert spent more time watching Willow than the movie. He couldn’t help but note the similarities between Cinderella’s personality and Willow’s. Willow fell asleep part way through the film. Robert knew he should leave, but he just wanted a bit more respite from the doubts and dark thoughts of his mind. He wasn’t lying when he told her he was afraid she wouldn’t be close enough. Her goodness and light kept his doubts and dark thoughts away. He needed her close to him.

Robert had a legitimate excuse to stay until the movie ended so he remained until the credits rolled. Robert needed to return to the Palace. He leaned down to kiss her head and tried to leave without waking her. Robert failed. “Robert?” 

“I am headed back to the Palace.” In a tiny voice, Willow told him, “You could stay.” The offer made Robert pause but now was not the time as much as he wanted to stay. England came first. “I would love to, but unfortunately I have a meeting in a couple of hours with the heads of MI-5, MI-6, and the military.” There were some unanticipated drawbacks to being an absolute monarch.

“I understand.” Willow gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me tonight at the Palace? No family. Just the two of us.”

“I’d like that.”

“And you’ll stay for breakfast?” A smile that reached her eyes broke out on her face, indicating a yes. A matching one was on Robert's face. “I’ll let myself out.”

She stood up to kiss him. “Goodnight Robert.”

“Goodnight Willow.” He kissed her again and walked towards the flat door.

As Robert closed Willow’s door, his doubts and dark thoughts flooded his mind again.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't sure about posting this. Usually, I keep my little fanfic drabbles on my computer (or in my head), but I thought that this little fic was needed. I felt so bad for Robert after 4x06 that I started this drabble, and then tweaked it a bit after 4x07 (I really did not expect to Willow and Robert start off the episode in a post-coital glow). I love/hate the fact we don't get to see some of the important moments in Robert & Willow's relationship. I suppose that is why we have fanfiction. I have a few "missing" moments in their relationship in my head that I hope to finish writing when real life allows me. Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it!


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